Tokyo is the capital of Japan, with its Tokyo Tower, Sky Tree, and skyscrapers. In Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Omotesando, Roppongi, and Ginza, you can enjoy walking around the city following the latest trends in fashion, sweets, and cafes. Tsukiji, a popular destination for foreigners, offers foodstuffs and goods from all over Japan.
In Asakusa, the Sensoji Monzenmachi and Shibamata Teishakuten approaches, and Yanaka, Nezu, and Yushima allow visitors to fully enjoy the atmosphere of a traditional downtown area. The Ogasawara Islands, known as the Galapagos of the East, are also actually located in Tokyo. Sightseeing to fully enjoy nature is also possible in places such as Okutama.
To enjoy sightseeing in Tokyo
Tokyo is a metropolis with Tokyo Tower, Sky Tree, and skyscrapers. You can enjoy walking around Shinjuku, Shibuya, Omotesando, Roppongi, Ginza, etc., following the latest trends.
There are also many other areas lined with specialty stores, such as Akihabara Electric Town, Kappabashi Shopping Street, and Nakano Broadway, as well as the Tsukiji Market, which is popular among foreigners, where you can buy food from all over Japan.
The area is also dotted with temples and shrines such as Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tsukiji Honganji Temple, and Kanda Myojin, as well as historic tourist attractions such as the Imperial Palace, Shinjuku Gyoen, and Hamarikyu. The downtown atmosphere can be fully enjoyed in the Senso-ji Temple gate town, the approach to Shibamata Teishakuten Temple, Yanaka and Yushima, and the Ryogoku Kokugikan and Kabuki-za Theater offer an opportunity to enjoy the culture of Edo.
In addition, there are many museums and art galleries, as well as family-oriented attractions such as Ueno Zoo, Sunshine Aquarium, Shinagawa Aquarium, Toshimaen, Tokyo Summerland, and Sanrio Puroland.
In the western part of the city, there are Mt. Takao and Okutama, the seven Izu islands in the southern Pacific Ocean, and the Ogasawara Islands, acclaimed overseas as the Galapagos of the Orient, which are rich in natural beauty.
History of Tokyo
After the Battle of Sekigahara, Ieyasu Tokugawa established the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo, marking a major turning point in Tokyo's history. Edo, as the political center of the country, saw an influx of people, culture, and everything else from all over the country, and by the early 18th century, Edo was already one of the largest cities in the world, with a population of over 1 million people.
After the Meiji Restoration, Edo was renamed "Tokyo," and when Emperor Meiji relocated the capital to Tokyo, the population influx accelerated even further, swelling to 3.7 million by the Taisho Period.
Although Tokyo was severely damaged by the Great Kanto Earthquake and air raids, it recovered to host the Tokyo Olympics less than 20 years after the war. Since then, Tokyo has continued to lead the nation in the economy, and with the decision to host the second Tokyo Olympics in 2020, the capital city continues to develop at an ever-increasing pace.
Local gourmet foods, food culture, and specialties of Tokyo
Monjayaki from Tsukishima, Yanagawa nabe made with loach, Edomae sushi made with fish from Tokyo Bay, and Fukagawa meshi made with clams caught in the mud flats are just a few of the local delicacies of Tokyo that are strongly influenced by the culture of the townspeople.
There is also a plethora of local cuisine, such as chanko-nabe, which sumo wrestlers eat during practice sessions, oden (oden cooked in Kanto style), negima-nabe, and jindaiji soba (buckwheat noodles), as well as bekko sushi and the delicacy kusaya from the Izu Islands.
With all kinds of cuisines and ingredients coming in from all over the world, there is no shortage of gastronomic delights in Tokyo, with many excellent restaurants competing in all genres of Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine. Tokyo is also the battleground for ramen in Japan, with soy sauce, miso, salt, pork, tsukemen, and oil soba noodles available from ramen stores all over the country.
Other B-class gourmet foods include Fussa Burger, Higashimurayama Black Yakisoba, and Ota Salt Yakisoba. Tokyo is also known for raising brand-name pork such as Tokyo X (X), and visitors can enjoy delicious pork dishes.
Tsukudani (food boiled in soy sauce and sweetened with soy sauce), Kamini-okoshi (a kind of rice dumpling made with rice flour), and Asakusa nori (seaweed) are the standard souvenirs, but there are hundreds of confectionary stores in Tokyo, so finding the perfect one is one of the best parts of sightseeing in Tokyo.
At 634 meters tall, it is the tallest tower in the world. It is the second tallest man-made structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) at 828 meters. There are observation decks at 350 meters and 450 meters above the ground, offering spectacular views of the horizon during the day and the night skyline of Tokyo below at night....»
Takao is easily accessible by train, taking about one hour from the center of Tokyo, and is a mountain where hiking can be easily enjoyed. The mountain is visited by many tourists and climbers throughout the year. Since ancient times, Mt. Takao has been considered a sacred mountain for Shugendo (mountain asceticism). There is also a legend that Tengu, or heavenly goblins, have existed on Mt. The...»
Senso-ji Temple is the oldest temple in Tokyo.The temple grounds are lined on both sides by Nakamise Street with its traditional downtown atmosphere, the Kaminarimon and Hozomon gates, the main hall, and the five-story pagoda, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in Japan. Nakamise DoriOne of the oldest shopping streets in Japan, Nakamise-dori stretches 250 meters from Kaminarimo...»
The zoo breeds over 3,000 animals of 500 species, including the world's three rarest animals, the giant panda, okapi, and pygmy hippopotamus, as well as rare animals such as the Sumatran tiger and the lowland gorilla. In the 14-hectare lush green park, there are exhibits that recreate the animals' habitat, up-close exhibits, and a corner where visitors can interact with guinea pigs, rabbits, and ...»
The second tallest structure in Japan after the Tokyo Sky Tree, the Tokyo Tower is a 333-meter-high radio tower. On a clear day, the two-story Main Deck, 125 meters above ground, and the 250-meter-high Top Deck, a special observation deck, offer panoramic views of Mount Fuji, the Miura Peninsula, and the Boso Peninsula in the distance. Foot Town, a five-story facility located below the tower, ho...»
Facing Tokyo Bay, the park covers an area of about 80 hectares and includes an aquarium, an aviary, a Giant Ferris Wheel, an observation rest house, a lawn area, eating and drinking facilities, and even a hotel.A wide variety of plants and wild birds can be seen, and the observation rest house and Giant Ferris Wheel offer panoramic views of the ocean.Crossing the bridge from Shiofu no Hiroba leads...»
The aquarium is located in Kasai Rinkai Park, a vast park of approximately 80 hectares facing Tokyo Bay.It holds the record for the largest number of annual visitors to an aquarium in Japan and is the most visited aquarium in eastern Japan. The building is a glass dome about 30 meters above the ground at the center of the pond.The entrance is directly under the dome, and the exhibition space exte...»
The shrine covers an area of 73 hectares (about 220,000 tsubo). It is divided into an inner garden and an outer garden. The Meiji Jingu Museum displays objects related to the deities of the Meiji period court culture, and the Meiji Jingu International Shinto Cultural Institute promotes the international transmission of Shinto culture. The shrine attracts tourists from Japan and abroad every New ...»
Rikugien was built in 1695 by Yoshiyasu Yanagisawa, a feudal lord who was highly respected by Tsunayoshi Tokugawa, the fifth Tokugawa Shogun, as his own residence. In 1695, a hill was built on a flat area of about 27,000 tsubo (about 7,000 m2) by heaping up earth, and a pond was dug by draining water from the Senkawa River.The garden is designated as a special place of scenic beauty. The azalea ...»
Inokashira Onshi Koen is one of the largest urban parks in Japan. It covers an area of approximately 32 hectares, with promenades, a pond, Inokashira Pond, known as the spring-fed pond that runs through the park, and a vast area of trees and flowers to enjoy. It has been selected as one of the 100 best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan. This park was opened in 1917. The park has become a popu...»
Odaiba Kaihin Koen is a park surrounding a quiet cove in Odaiba.There is an 800-meter-long artificial sandy beach called "Odaiba Beach," where various events are held. The Statue of Liberty was erected to commemorate the friendship between Japan and France. The Rainbow Bridge can be seen beautifully from the adjacent Daiba Park. Daiba Park is the site of a gun emplacement built on Tokyo Bay in ...»
The building was designed based on cross-sectional sketches by Hayao Miyazaki, and it is as if you have entered the world of Studio Ghibli's animated films. The entrance hall is dotted with characters from the films, including a reception desk where Totoro greets visitors and a fresco mural of Ghibli characters dotted across the ceiling.Original animated short films are screened, and there are ex...»
Takao, which has long been considered a sacred mountain for Shugendo (mountain asceticism).Legend has it that tengu (heavenly goblins) have existed on Mt. In 744, Gyoki, by order of Emperor Shomu, opened the temple (the first ascent of the mountain) and founded Takao Yakuoin. When visitors pass through the Yakuoin temple gate, they are greeted by two tengu (heavenly goblins).Aizenmyoo Hall, whic...»
The aquarium is located in Tokyo Solamachi in Tokyo Skytree Town.The aquarium exhibits 7,000 marine creatures of about 260 species in eight zones.It is open until 9:00 p.m., so visitors can stop by at the end of their sightseeing tour. JellyfishAbout 700 jellyfish of 14 species born and raised in the SUMIDA AQUARIUM, including red jellyfish and octopus jellyfish, are on display.In the "Big Petri ...»
Rainbow Bridge is a double-decker suspension bridge with a total length of approximately 800 meters. It is popular as a weekend driving course because of its excellent daytime and nighttime views of the ocean and buildings. The upper part of the bridge is connected to the Metropolitan Expressway, while the lower part is connected to the new Yurikamome transportation system in the center, with ord...»
The Sunshine Aquarium is an urban aquarium located 40 meters above ground on the roof of a skyscraper in the Sunshine City complex. Visitors can see 23,000 marine creatures of approximately 550 species in carefully designed exhibits, including flying penguins that appear to swim in midair, a tunnel tank of jellyfish, and a large tank with vivid coral reefs and fish. Based on the concept of an oa...»
The museum's collection of over 7,000 pieces includes 7 national treasures, 87 important cultural properties, and 94 important art objects, including paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, lacquerware, metalwork, and more.Visitors can also enjoy strolling through the 17,000-square-meter Japanese garden. The exhibition building, a fusion of modern architecture and Japanese style, was designe...»
This church was newly built in 1964 with an innovative design.The unique curved concrete buildings intersect to form a cross when viewed from the sky. From the ground, it looks like a silvery swan shaking its wings, and looking up from below, it gently creeps up to the cross-shaped top light at the top, creating a sense of ascent, as if the viewer's gaze is directly reaching the heavens. The sta...»
One of the oldest shopping streets in Japan, Asakusa Nakamise-dori stretches 250 meters from the Kaminarimon gate of Sensoji Temple to the Hozomon gate, and is lined with long-established Japanese sweets stores and souvenir stores on both sides of the approach. Visitors can enjoy traditional delicacies such as ningyo-yaki (doll pancakes), croquettes, steamed meat buns, menchikatsu (fried pork cut...»
A combination of a Japanese garden, an English landscape garden, a French-style landscaped garden, and a large greenhouse in a space of about 58 hectares, the park is an imperial garden open to the public. There are many kinds of trees, with more than 10,000. There are approximately 1,300 cherry trees of 65 varieties, and the park has been selected as one of the 100 best cherry blossom viewing sp...»
The National Museum of Western Art, opened in 1959, is Japan's only national art museum dedicated to Western art in general. In addition to the Matsukata Collection, which consists mainly of paintings and sculptures from the 19th to early 20th centuries, including Impressionist works collected in Europe by the industrialist Kojiro Matsukata in the early 20th century, the museum has a permanent co...»
The garden is located on a small hill facing the Kanda River and was called "Tsubakiyama" (Camellia Mountain) because it was a scenic spot where camellia trees grew wild. Located on the grounds of Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, the garden is open to the public. The garden, which skillfully utilizes the undulations of the plateau and valley, is an atmospheric place where visitors can appreciate camellias...»
Ueno Park was designated as Japan's first park in 1873, and is one of the largest urban parks in Japan. Its official name is "Ueno Onshi Koen.Within the park, there are many cultural facilities such as museums and zoos. Cultural facilities such as Ueno Zoo, Tokyo National Museum, National Museum of Western Art, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno Royal Museu...»
Completed in 1891, this is the cathedral of the Japanese Orthodox Church. Its official name is Tokyo Resurrection Cathedral.With a building area of about 800 square meters, it is the first and largest authentic Byzantine-style church building in Japan, featuring a 35-meter-high dome roof clad in greenish blue. Because of its location on the Surugadai hill, the dome could be seen from a distance d...»
Koishikawa Korakuen is one of the best Japanese gardens (feudal lord's garden), which is the predecessor of the garden of the Mito Tokugawa family created in the early Edo period.It is designated as a Special Historic Site and a Special Place of Scenic Beauty by the national government. In 1629, Yorifusa Tokugawa, the first lord of the Mito Tokugawa family, ordered the gardener Sahei Tokudaiji to...»
The garden was developed from the former residence of a conglomerate. Taking advantage of the topography of the Musashino Plateau, with its slopes and lowlands, a Western-style building was built on a small hill on the north side, with a Western-style garden on the slope and a Japanese garden on the lowlands.The garden is designated as a national place of scenic beauty.It is well known as one of t...»
This temple is located near Tsukiji Market and features a main hall with an ancient Indian-style motif. It has become a representative face of the Tsukiji area. Completed in 1934, the current main hall is richly decorated with marble carvings, and its unique style, a fusion of Indian, Western, Islamic, and Japanese motifs, remains innovative and majestic even today. The entrance floor is decorat...»
Located in Inokashira Park, the 120,000-square-meter zoo includes a zoo, a botanical garden, a museum, a sculpture hall, and a children's museum, all located among the trees. The zoo's two main themes are Japanese animals such as Japanese serows, Japanese squirrels, antelopes, badgers, mountain lions, foxes, and raccoons, and foreign animals such as maras, fennecs, and porcupines that have charac...»
Hamarikyu Gardens is a garden with a tidal inlet that brings in seawater from Tokyo Bay, and the scenery changes with the ebb and flow of the tides. The garden is one of the largest in Tokyo, and visitors can enjoy the changing scenery of the four seasons. The garden was created in the Edo period (1603-1867) as the garden for the Hamarikyu Goten, a villa of the Tokugawa shoguns. After the detach...»